Culture
Community photo exhibit highlights Athens County’s ‘deep culture of caring’
By: Emily Votaw
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NELSONVILLE, Ohio (WOUB) – An Eastern box turtle peeks from under lush clover, its glossy black-and-yellow shell catching the light.
The aurora borealis paints the inky night sky with streaks of fuchsia and turquoise.
Daisies bloom bright white, clustered beneath the sign for the Coolville Public Library.
Each image captures a moment when the Athens County resident who took it felt connected to their community. These photos are part of an exhibition opening Saturday at the Nelsonville Public Library (95 West Washington Street), titled Social Connectedness and Extreme Weather in Athens County: A Community Photo Exhibition, showcasing how Athens County residents experience connection—and how extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, impact that ability to connect.
The exhibition is part of dissertation research by Fiona Doherty, a Ph.D. candidate in social work at Ohio State University. Doherty collaborated with local organizations—including the Athens City-County Health Department, Age Friendly Athens County, Rural Action, and the Ohio University Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service—to identify a key concern: limited opportunities for social connection, particularly for older residents and those in remote areas. Extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and power outages, often worsen this isolation.
“That’s a huge challenge,” Doherty said. “As a community, we have to think about how to address it, especially knowing that extreme weather events are a reality in Athens County.”
To explore the issue, Doherty used participatory photo mapping. From May to September 2024, 16 Athens County residents—divided into two age groups: 19-29 and 65 or older—photographed locations that fostered a sense of belonging.
After mapping the locations where photos were taken and conducting interviews and focus group discussions with participants about them, Doherty introduced the impact of extreme weather to the dialogue.
For example, last summer’s historic drought limited social interaction, as the risk of dehydration and heat stroke kept people indoors. Similarly, winter storms created isolation, particularly for older residents wary of icy conditions. Both age groups noted that power outages during extreme weather events made communication even more difficult. In remote areas, these outages cut off access to often already unreliable internet and cellular service.
“So once you lose power, you lose your ability to communicate altogether,” Doherty said. “I know for me, I rely on my phone for everything, and without it, isolation can feel even more overwhelming.”
Participants stressed that community hubs like libraries and post offices are crucial for word-of-mouth communication, especially when extreme weather disrupts digital networks. In these situations, even small interactions—like asking a neighbor at the post office about storm preparations—became essential. Doherty noted that some areas of the county lack these hubs, making it harder for residents to connect and therefore better prepare for extreme weather.
While the study highlighted the negative impact of extreme weather on social connectedness, Doherty also uncovered stories of resilience. Many participants described neighbors looking out for one another, reinforcing what she called Athens County’s “deep culture of caring.”
“I heard so many stories of people helping each other—whether in everyday life or during emergencies,” she said.
This theme of resilience is central to the photo exhibition. Alongside a visual map of connection points, the display includes participant quotes illustrating patterns of social connectedness in Athens County.
Doherty’s research continues, and she hopes the exhibition sparks conversation about the role of social connection, especially in keeping isolated community members safe. She encourages residents to reflect on how factors like transportation, finances, or rural living shape their ability to connect—and how they can help strengthen those ties.
“I really want people to share their reflections,” she said. “Were there things we missed? Are there solutions people want to bring forward? How can we strengthen social connectedness and our response to extreme weather?”
“Social Connectedness and Extreme Weather in Athens County: A Community Photo Exhibition,” opens Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the Nelsonville Public Library and will remain on display through April 15.